I have been reliving my lost youth by watching DVDs of the old MTM shows from the 60's and 70's.

Now, as you may recall if you are a Mary enthusiast, there were always bit players in the background at the WJM newsroom who never spoke to the principal characters and rarely interacted with them, but constantly looked like they were working on newsroom-type stuff.

There was this one guy with long blonde hair, slightly thick-set, who appeared to be about 25-35 in the series, who fascinates me. Not in the sexual sense, but because he was so darned GOOD at looking like he was really working. Sometimes I actually stop watching Mary, Lou Grant, Murray, Ted and the others and just watch him as he wanders around drawing at a drafting table, answering phones, showing documents to the other bacground people, etc. etc. And he seems to have worked on the show for years.

Only once HAVE I heard him say anything. Ted Baxter mistook him for another person and he replied "My name is Pete."

What became of this man? Does he show the old MTM reruns to his kids and grandkids? Did he go on to speaking roles? If he is alive he would by my reckoning be about 60 to 75.

I have checked Wikipedia regarding the MTM series and there is no mention of him. Does anyone have a clue?

That's a new one most people who want info on a bit player on MTM ask this question

Q) Who was that woman with the sour face at the end of the opening credits?

A)Her name was Hazel Frederick, and she passed away in late 1999 at the age of 91. In 1996, Mary met Hazel Frederick during a book signing in Minneapolis. Mary: "I extended my hand to her and I said, 'tell me, why were you scowling'? She said, 'I thought you were going to kill yourself, my dear!' "

His main connection to Mary was that his dad, John C. Chulay, was the assistant director on The Dick Van Dyke Show and later did the same for Mary's show. John C. also directed a few episodes of her show and got to speak a couple lines on the Van Dyke show when Rob goes to the unemployment office and asks him in which line to stand.